Another renewal of the Legal Light Trophy staged as race four to honour the exploits of the greatest thoroughbreds to race at Caymanas Park, was the feature event of the ten on the day.
Winner of the 1977 Jamaica Derby, and a plethora of other features, Legal Light had the distinction of winning eight races consecutively on two occasions when the handicap system methodology of equalising form made the feat highly unlikely.
Bet at 6-5, Barnaby (USA) was presented in unbeatable condition by former three-time champion Anthony Nunes, and the five-year-old bay Tapiture (USA) horse was over seven lengths better than 3-5 backed Girvano (USA).
Champion reinsman Raddesh Roman, extremely confident and the time of 1:54.2 for what was effectively a preparation gallop, sent a message that Barnaby (USA) will be a worthy competitor in the upcoming major events.
Apprentice Daniel Thompson had only his sixth opportunity of the season and looked far more accomplished than his lack of experience would suggest in guiding the 9-1 shot Control Aggression, saddled by Donovan Russell, to a two-length victory in the opening event, a maiden race restricted to horses four years old and upwards and run at five and a half furlongs.
The 2025 most successful second season campaigner, I Dream Again, winner of the St. Leger and the Derby to bankroll $7.7 million, showed a welcome return to form. In front of four rivals, immediately the gates opened for race two, the Jason DaCosta conditioned colt with Robert Halledeen at the reins dominated the early fractions to be clear at the top of the home stretch.
I Dream Again did not at any stage look likely to be overtaken and won the seven-furlong gallop by three lengths. Going forward, this 2025 dual Classic winner has real prospects of improvement, and despite the dominance of the US imports at the Overnight Allowance level, I Dream Again may very well be good enough to achieve Open Allowance status before the season is much older.
In race three, a former Jason DaCosta inmate, Lucy In The Sky (6-1), was declared by Byron Davis and ridden by Tevin Foster for the opener of a riding double. The mare came home over three clear of her closest of eight rivals at the end of the six-and-a-half furlong trip. Although only her fifth success in 44 career starts, it was a convincing effort by the five-year-old Liquidity-bay mare.
One hour and sixteen minutes later, following race five, Foster, to confirm his two-timer, was back in the winners’ enclosure, and this time it was aboard free scoring Sudden Flight (3-5). This horse, who scored by a short head, has now won seven of its last eight races over the differing trips on the straight course, ranging from three and a half to five furlongs for a tag of $200,000.
On this occasion, it was the turn of owner/trainer Raymond Townsend, who was the ninth claimant of Sudden Flight from his last ten races since May 2025, and next it will be the turn of Donovan Russell. The eight-year-old dark bay gelding has now won 17 races from 61 career starts and has been aided on each occasion in no small measure by the advantageous weight allotment allowable by the conditions of entry.
With a smooth and confident execution of his riding engagement, apprentice Tyrese Anderson piloted trainer Adrian Prince’s Shooting Star (USA) to a one-length victory over the seven furlongs of race six for claimers valued at $1.5 down to $1.2 million.
This was a split event and Division II, staged as race ten, went to a rampant frontrunner in the form of Sonny T And Chippy (3-1), declared by Oral Hayden for a near eight-length margin of victory with 2023 champion Reyan Lewis at the reins.
With eight winners over the previous three race days, the good form of apprentice Richie Shakes continued. Partnering 2-5 favourite Ascend for trainer Barrington Bernard, the improving rider had to summon the full extent of his skill set to prevail by a head in a could-go-either-way battle with US-bred four-year-old filly Four Thirty (Emelio McLean) over the five-furlong straight gallop of race seven.
Wall To Wall (10-1), a three-year-old maiden colt bred, owned, and trained by Carl Anderson and racing for the second time, with long-serving reinsman Jemar Jackson aboard, just outsprinted the closest of 11 rivals to win race eight by a half a length.
In race nine, claimer Tajay Suckoo guided Richard Azan’s Senor Biscotti (7-5) to a near four-length victory over the six and a half furlongs event for the Anybet 12th Anniversary Trophy.
